My Life in Cebu....: My April 12th blog :)

Another blog that got written a while ago, and I finally added pictures so I could post it!

I am so inconsistent with my blog writing, it's almost humorous. I always seem to have blog topics in mind, but some weeks I have more time to spill my thoughts and pictures, and other weeks are so crazy, I'm lucky if I get a decent amount of sleep! My one-year commitment of working here at CSC is ending soon, as I leave Cebu on May 7th. I'm realizing I have limited blog-writing time left, and I still have so much to share! I will do my best to post often in my last days. :)

It has been a busy month around here and it's been fun! Lynn Green visited (a long-time CSC friend, and former staff member), which was a blessing for the kids and the staff. She quickly became a friend, and we shared many laughs and good times. She even visited Library time and read some books to the kids, and was taught how to do a little line-dancing!

Easter around Cebu is unique. Since this is a predominantly Catholic country, there are many Catholic traditions that happen on the Easter weekend. On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, there are an abundance of processionals around the island. You can never guarantee you'll have a straight shot to your destination because you might be stopped by a bunch of people walking on the road with candles, and usually some sort of small float-type thing with a statue of Mary or Jesus or a dead Jesus. There is a huge emphasis on the death of Jesus. There are even places where people let themselves be flogged as a reenactment of the Easter story, and even people that are nailed to crosses. Everything is closed on Good Friday. The road that our shelter is on, Good Shephard Road, is a high-traffic road especially on Good Friday. Up the road a ways from us are stations of the cross that people go through. We went up to see what it was like that day. I couldn't believe it. It was as if I'd gone to the State Fair (Filipino style, of course). There were vendors everywhere selling all kinds of things. There were people everywhere! At one part, there was a priest preaching and people listening. In between the priest and the audience were three crosses, where three men were standing with their arms tied to the beams. Very interesting to see.

Good Shephard road on Good Friday

Easter Sunday is kind of non-existent. Everything is back open and there are no big celebrations. That's hard for me, since I know that Easter Sunday is the most important part of the story!! Jesus died on the cross for our sins in place of us having to die. I am deeply grateful for his sacrifice and dying in my place. At the same time, it's important for us to remember the second part of the story - Jesus ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!! He became alive again, which is the part that proves that He really, truly is God! HE IS RISEN!!!

To celebrate Easter at the shelter, there was a time on Good Friday where the housefathers shared more about Easter with the kids and the meaning behind it. There were some Easter videos about the Bible story that the kids watched that week. I read Easter books in library time and explained Easter symbolism with Easter eggs. They painted Easter eggs and had an egg hunt on Easter day. On Easter Sunday, we had a special service just for all our CSC kids up at the school. Mitch shared more about Easter, kids helped reading verses, some kids and our Eicher housemother shared testimonies about what the cross meant to them, and Tammy, Mitch, and I lead some worship songs. It was a neat time of celebration!

Last week, we had two adoptive families come. One of them came to pick up their two-year-old daughter. Then a few days later, we had a family come to pick up their three new sons. We are so very grateful and excited for adoptive families for our kids. This is what we hope and pray for for all of our kids! Saying good-bye was heartbreaking, especially because one of them was one of my students. It's so hard to say good-bye to someone that you have poured so much into. At the farewell, there were tears all-around, from staff to houseparents to kids. Everyone was sad to see them go, but we are glad for their new chapter in life!

My birthday was April 7th, and it was a blessing to be able to celebrate at CSC. I never imagined it could be so special! The kids smothered me with hugs, cards, and "Happy Birthday" greetings all day! Several classes came to my room in song and bearing cards! After school, it was ice cream all around for the kids - yup, even in 90-degree weather! The staff took me out for lunch and we had a taco dinner at the Ohlendorf's, including mango float and cheesecake - my favorites! And in case all of that wasn't special enough, I received over 60 cards from friends and family at home! My family collected cards from people and my dad and sister brought them when they came to visit, which were kept in hiding until my birthday. Also, I received several cards in the mail. I found them all over my classroom in the morning, and kids were randomly delivering them to me that afternon. When I got home, I found several more in a huge heart on my bed! It was REALLY special and I felt so loved!!